The Translation Torchbearer

Ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, He Jun, chief English translator at China International Communications Group and senior translator with Foreign Languages Press, was selected to hold the torch in the relay. “Finding out I was chosen was a jolt of excitement,” he recalled. The honor of serving as a torchbearer for the Winter Olympic Games was a pleasant surprise.

“The Winter Olympics is a good opportunity for athletes from around the world to come together and showcase their unique skills under a global spotlight,” he said. “Competing against the world’s best for medals usually unleashes their full potential.”

His feelings about the Winter Olympics are profound. “Athletes gather from different countries and regions with diverse cultural backgrounds,” he noted. “The Olympics brings them together and fosters understanding while enhancing friendship. It generates a spirit of unity.”

As a translator, He Jun spends most of his work hours writing at a desk. “If I sit for long periods, my body gets a little stiff. So recently I have been investing more time in working out.” He admitted that his busy work schedule usually resulted in neglect of physical exercise. But he recognizes the high value of sports. “Exercise promotes happiness and vitality and benefits mental and physical health.”

Before carrying the torch for the Winter Olympics, He Jun, now 59, had been resolutely passing on the translation “torch” for decades.

Every realm has its masters. The Olympic spirit is not limited to athletic pursuits, but permeates all walks of life. Even “quiet” writing work requires comparable passion and perseverance. He Jun has been involved in translating and editing books for external publicity for many years. His dedication to the Party, the country, and his work has produced outstanding results. As a member of the expert group, he participated in finalizing the English editions of the first three volumes of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China as well as white papers such as China: Democracy That Works and China’s Epic Journey from Poverty to Prosperity and books including Zhu Rongji on the Record and Selected Works of Ba Jin.

After graduating from the English Department of Peking University in 1985, He Jun joined Foreign Languages Press. Since then, he has remained devoted to translation for more than 30 years. The English editions of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China and The Belt and Road Initiative, which he participated in finalizing, are regarded as models of faithfulness, expressivity, and elegance in translation.

When finalizing the English version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, He Jun joined other experts in making bold innovations by breaking from traditional forms and flexibly deploying translation methods and strategies. While maintaining strict faithfulness to the original text, the work was translated into friendlier and more easily digestible reading.

Although his workload is often heavy, He Jun never complains. While maintaining outstanding attention to detail, he often worked overtime and even throughout the night to make deadlines. Last year alone, he participated in the finalization of the English translations of more than a dozen white papers issued by the Chinese government. Bringing work home on weekends has long been a routine for him. “If I don’t keep working through the weekends, it’s hard to meet our deadlines.”

Over the past two decades, He Jun has participated in finalization of the English versions of hundreds of government white papers with a total of more than 1.3 million words.

How does one excel in international communication as a translator? He Jun notes that Chinese culture is extensive and profound, so many seemingly simple expressions contain rich connotations. China International Communications Group is mainly engaged in translating from Chinese into other languages. To excel at this endeavor, practitioners must deeply understand Chinese culture and all aspects of Chinese society.

Even after the Olympic torch relay, He Jun remained excited for the ice and snow sports event. He likes watching alpine skiing the most. “It seems so refreshing to shoot down the mountain at those galloping speeds,” he said.